adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Villagers in Beitbridge West are living in fear of elephants which are destroying crops and terrorising people in Ward 10 and surrounding areas. The worst affected villages are Tshoko-Tshoko, Mapani, Hwunga and Madali. Ward 10 councillor Mrs Gladys Tlou, who is also Beitbridge Rural District Council chairperson, said many villagers were living in fear of the jumbos.
She said the matter had been reported to the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
“The elephants have become a perennial problem in this area, especially during the cropping season,” said Councillor Tlou.
“Recently (elephants) left a trail of destruction in most maize fields in Tshoko-Tshoko, Mapani, Hwunga and Madali. It is unfortunate that most of the communal farmers will have lower yields due to continued destruction of crop by these animals. Though we are yet to get reports of attacks on people, villagers are living in fear of being attacked while working in their fields.”
She said children were now afraid of going to school, while travelling at night had become virtually impossible for most villagers.
Clr Tlou said ZimParks rangers had so far failed to locate the elephants.
BBRDC chief executive Mr Peter Moyo said: “We received a report about elephants causing havoc on the western parts of the district. However, our safari operator has been failing to locate them on four different occasions.”
ZimParks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said their rangers would keep searching for the elephants.
“Our rangers are already on the ground attending to the issue. At the same time we want to urge the communities to reports such issues to us as they arise, so that we can respond at the earliest possible time.
“It is our main objective to ensure that people are safe from troublesome wild animals,” said Mr Farawo.
Online Reporter